[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 84 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 84

                    Celebrating Black History Month.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 23, 2015

Mr. Booker (for himself, Mr. Cochran, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Isakson, Mr. 
   Durbin, Ms. Murkowski, Mrs. Feinstein, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Paul, Mr. 
Merkley, Mr. Coons, Mr. Portman, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Wicker, 
     Ms. Ayotte, Mr. Burr, and Mr. Cardin) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
                    Celebrating Black History Month.

Whereas in 1776, people imagined the United States as a new country dedicated to 
        the proposition stated in the Declaration of Independence that ``all men 
        are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain 
        unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit 
        of Happiness . . .'';
Whereas the first Africans were brought involuntarily to the shores of America 
        as early as the 17th century;
Whereas African Americans suffered enslavement and subsequently faced the 
        injustices of lynch mobs, segregation, and denial of the basic and 
        fundamental rights of citizenship;
Whereas in 2015, the vestiges of these injustices and inequalities remain 
        evident in the society of the United States;
Whereas in the face of injustices, people of the United States of good will and 
        of all races have distinguished themselves with a commitment to the 
        noble ideals on which the United States was founded and have 
        courageously fought for the rights and freedom of African Americans;
Whereas African Americans, such as Lieutenant Colonel Allen Allensworth, 
        Constance Baker Motley, James Baldwin, James Beckwourth, Simeon Booker, 
        Clara Brown, Ralph Bunche, Shirley Chisholm, Frederick Douglass, W. E. 
        B. Du Bois, Ralph Ellison, Medgar Evers, Alex Haley, Dorothy Height, 
        Lena Horne, Charles Hamilton Houston, Mahalia Jackson, Martin Luther 
        King, Jr., the Tuskegee Airmen, Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, Bill 
        Pickett, Jackie Robinson, Aaron Shirley, Sojourner Truth, Harriet 
        Tubman, Homer Plessy, the Greensboro Four, Maya Angelou, and Arthur 
        Ashe, Jr., along with many others, worked against racism to achieve 
        success and to make significant contributions to the economic, 
        educational, political, artistic, athletic, literary, scientific, and 
        technological advancements of the United States, including the westward 
        expansion;
Whereas the contributions of African Americans from all walks of life throughout 
        the history of the United States reflect the greatness of the United 
        States;
Whereas many African Americans lived, toiled, and died in obscurity, never 
        achieving the recognition they deserved, and yet paved the way for 
        future generations to succeed;
Whereas African Americans continue to serve the United States at the highest 
        levels of government and military;
Whereas the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass inspired the 
        creation of Negro History Week, the precursor to Black History Month;
Whereas Negro History Week represented the culmination of the efforts of Dr. 
        Carter G. Woodson, the ``Father of Black History'', to enhance knowledge 
        of Black history through the Journal of Negro History, published by the 
        Association for the Study of African American Life and History, which 
        was founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson and Jesse E. Moorland;
Whereas Black History Month, celebrated during the month of February, dates back 
        to 1926 when Dr. Carter G. Woodson set aside a special period in 
        February to recognize the heritage and achievement of Black people of 
        the United States;
Whereas Dr. Carter G. Woodson stated: ``We have a wonderful history behind us. . 
        . . If you are unable to demonstrate to the world that you have this 
        record, the world will say to you, `You are not worthy to enjoy the 
        blessings of democracy or anything else.''';
Whereas since the founding of the United States, the country imperfectly 
        progressed towards noble goals; and
Whereas the history of the United States is the story of people regularly 
        affirming high ideals, striving to reach such ideals but often failing, 
        and then struggling to come to terms with the disappointment of such 
        failure, before committing to trying again: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) acknowledges that all people of the United States are 
        the recipients of the wealth of history provided by Black 
        culture;
            (2) recognizes the importance of Black History Month as an 
        opportunity to reflect on the complex history of the United 
        States, while remaining hopeful and confident about the path 
        ahead;
            (3) acknowledges the significance of Black History Month as 
        an important opportunity to recognize the tremendous 
        contributions of African Americans to the history of the United 
        States;
            (4) encourages the celebration of Black History Month to 
        provide a continuing opportunity for all people in the United 
        States to learn from the past and understand the experiences 
        that have shaped the United States; and
            (5) agrees that, while the United States began as a divided 
        nation, the United States must--
                    (A) honor the contribution of all pioneers in the 
                United States who have helped to ensure the legacy of 
                the great United States; and
                    (B) move forward with purpose, united tirelessly as 
                ``one Nation . . . indivisible, with liberty and 
                justice for all.''.
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